Broadway legend Ben Vereen brings his hit show, Steppin’ Out, to Denver on Feb. 3. The 7:30 p.m. performance in Gates Concert Hall in the University of Denver’s Newman Center is a benefit for Rocky Mountain PBS.

The show features tributes to the music of Broadway, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. Songs include “Mr. Bojangles,” “Defying Gravity” and “Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries.”

Vereen has appeared on Broadway in “Wicked,” “Chicago,” “Fosse,” “Jelly’s Last Jam,” and
“Pippin,” the latter earning him both a Tony and the Drama Desk Award for Best Actor in a Musical. Vereen also portrayed Chicken George in the ABC-TV miniseries “Roots.”

In addition, he has had recurring roles on “How I Met Your Mother,” “Law and Order: Criminal Intent,” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” for which he won a Prism Award. This month, Vereen will be the recipient of the prestigious Theater Hall of Fame Award at a ceremony held in New York City.

The concert is sponsored by Joanie and Bill Grier and also includes appearances by the S.T.A.R.S. vocal ensemble and Colorado Ballet.

Tickets range from $27.25 to $127.25. Theose buying the higher-priced ticket will gain admission to a post-concert reception that Vereen will attend. Call the Newman Center Box Office, 303-871-7720, or visitwww.newmantix.com.

Rocky Mountain PBS, now in its 56th year, reaches some 1.2 million people throughout Colorado each week. Rocky Mountain PBS was Colorado’s first public television station and continues to rely on donations to sustain its operations. Proceeds from this concert will benefit the statewide network.

[media-credit name=”Steve Peterson, Special to The Denver Post” align=”aligncenter” width=”495″][/media-credit]

Kendall Stevens enjoys a lollipop during the magic show that was part of the Sugarplum Ball.

The kids were so excited that they probably didn’t hear a word Leslie Dewell Smith said. I’ll bet their mothers and grandmothers did — and that they’ll repeat her sweet sentiment more than once as their daughters and granddaughters progress from one life’s milestone to another.

“Always remember this night,” Smith told the 25 second-graders who made up Colorado Ballet Auxiliary’s Nutcracker Sugarplum Class of 2011. “Remember the beauty of your dress and the look in your daddy or grand-daddy’s eye.”

The Sugarplum Ball is the culmination of a year-long program that builds a foundation for little girls to appreciate the art of ballet while raising money for the Colorado Ballet. This year, it enabled the auxiliary to donate $40,000 to Colorado Ballet. In addition, the ‘Plums made and sold necklaces, an activity that resulted in a $2,000 contribution to a Colorado Ballet outreach program at Warren Village and $2,000 in gifts to Children’s Hospital Colorado.

The ball chaired by Alyson Graves was held the day after Thanksgiving at the Brown Palace Hotel. The Land of Sweets theme was carried out in bold red and white decor that included poinsettias, bows and candy-centric centerpieces. Oversized candy canes were on some tables; towering glass cylinders filled with peppermints and assorted hard candies were on others.

The evening begins with the introduction of the Sugarplum Alums, the girls who’d been Sugarplums the previous year. In addition to being recognized at the ball, the Alums are given the opportunity to dance in that season’s performances of “The Nutcracker.” The 2011 Alums are Ariana Azari, Marin Bomgaars, Juliette Bruner, Maya Dammen, Juliana Diecidue, Julia Donovan, Audrey Graves, Hailey Hak, Ashley Matthews, Meghan O’Neal, Caroline Plumleigh, Julie Plumleigh, Elle Smith and Lauren Sperry.

Like the Alums, the Sugarplums are introduced by Dr. Toby Cole, who has the honors again the next night when the ‘Plums are introduced on stage at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, moments before the opening performance begins.

Following the introductions, the ball guests enjoyed dinner, a Paul Borrillo magic show and dancing. The youngsters also were treated to an after-dinner candy buffet.

The 2011 Sugarplums, with biographies compiled and written by the Sugarplum committee, are:

Anna Scott Arnold, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Arnold of Denver. Anna enjoys ballet and will be in a Nutcracker performance with the Denver Conservatory this December. She is playing the angel, a mouse and a bon bon. She also enjoys gymnastics and is a black diamond skier. She loves math, and playing math games, but also likes to draw, too. Her favorite places to travel are to New Zealand and Hawaii. Her favorite movie (much like Hawaii) is “Soul Surfer.”

Sophia Birner, the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Mark Birner of Denver. She is a skilled horseback rider who loves to ski in the winter. She also loves rainbow sherbet instead of plain ice cream, and her favorite song is Taylor Swift’s What I like about You.

Julia Cole, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Charles Cole of Denver. Julia loves ice cream, especially Denali Extreme Moose Tracks, orange sherbet creamsicle and orange sherbet. She is a great piano player, and also can do a convincing witch laugh. She likes to swim and bike, and if she could have any pet, she would choose to have a new pet each month. She would start with a giraffe in August, because according to Julia, they are good animals for August.

Paris Corporon, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Corporon of Englewood. She is passionate about sports, and she plays soccer very well. Someday, she hopes to be a veterinarian. Her favorite ice cream flavor is blue cotton candy, and she would rather swim in the summer to cool off from the summer heat.

Morgan Divita, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Divita of Littleton. She is passionate about ballet and loves ballet class and gymnastics. Her favorite ice cream flavors are strawberry and chocolate. She would rather be swimming in the summer than skiing in the winter because she likes warm weather, especially vacationing in Los Cabos, Mexico. She also loves to sing to Taylor Swift every chance she gets.

Lizzie Elliott, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. J. Paul Elliott of Cherry Hills Village. She is a very accomplished soccer player and swimmer. She likes to swim in the summer, and if she could pick any vacation, she would go to the Galapagos Islands. For a pet, she would pick a dog because they can be your best friend. Her favorite book and movie include all of the Harry Potter series.

Izzy Espinoza, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Espinoza of Denver. She is passionate about helping people and swimming, but also loves the snow and skiing in the winter. She likes to vacation in Steamboat Springs and when she’s an adult she hopes to be a mommy. Her favorite song is Somebody to Love by Justin Beiber and her favorite book is Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss.

Emory Gerlach, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Graham Gerlach of Denver. She is passionate about reading and is also a gymnast and skier. This active girl loves visiting her great grandma’s ranch in Wyoming and skiing in Chaos Canyon in Vail.

Sophia Saylor Giordano, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Giordano of Denver. She loves art, especially painting. If she could pick any ice cream flavor to eat it would be lemon sorbet. She likes to ski because she can go fast and ski with friends, but she also likes to swim and jump in the water and make cannonballs. She is a very good soccer player, and likes to sing too.

Georgia Kane, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Kane. She is passionate about singing, dancing and theater, and is a great singer. When she gets older she hopes to be a designer and design dresses and clothes. She doesn’t believe in ghosts but she believes in magic, and also likes rainbow sherbet when she’s in the mood for ice cream. If she could have any pet, it would be a monkey.

Grace Linafelter, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Rod Linafelter of Cherry Hills Village. Grace hopes to be a teacher when she grows up, and would like to have a turtle for a pet because it is her favorite animal. She loves to ski and her favorite ice cream is crazy cookie dough on top of mint chocolate chip. Her favorite place to relax on vacation after all of that skiing, is Hawaii.

Isabelle Louis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ehlias Louis of Denver. Isabelle is passionate about art, and is really, really good at math. She loves to ski and wants to be a ski racer, and hopefully a mother someday. She likes to vacation in Park City, Utah, and if she could have any pet she would have an otter because Isabelle thinks they are cute and do funny tricks. She likes to sing to Get Your Sparkle On.

Chloe Malley, daughter of Elaine Weng and Dr. Thomas Malley of Englewood. She is passionate about art because she says you can draw anything. Chole says that art makes her happy, especially when she can hang art up in her room and later on look at it. Her favorite ice cream is cookie dough, and she thinks cats are furry and cute. She would rather swim in the summer because she loves swimming and can go anywhere in the pool, although if she could choose, she would pick swimming in Hawaii.

Gracie McHugh, daughter of Dr. Stacy McHugh and Jerome McHugh, Jr. of Denver. Gracie hopes to be an artist and a fashion designer because she likes to create things that inspire her. She doesn’t believe in ghosts, but she does believe in magic, because she says it’s interesting to watch and seems real. She likes to sing and takes singing lessons, and her favorite songs right now are Break Your Heart and Dynamite by Taio Cruz.

Annalee Miner, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Scott Miner of Denver. She lives to sing, especially to Taylor Swift, and she is very good at skiing, soccer and sharing. She also likes mint chocolate chip ice cream and vacations in the mountains. Her favorite movie is “Winnie the Pooh.” It’s a really old movie that to her, just never gets old.

Elle Morris, daughter of Jayne Ford and Parks Harris Morris of Denver. She likes mint chocolate chip ice cream and when she’s an adult, Elle hopes to be a doctor. She likes to swim and play with her friends, and likes the idea of a Hawaiian getaway. If she could have any pet it would be a lemur because they are cute and have a lot of energy.

Ainsley Nalen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Nalen of Englewood. She loves vanilla ice cream and is a really good swimmer. She loves to swim in the summer and if she could choose she would pick a vacation to California at the Montage in Laguna Beach. She also likes dogs, especially goldendoodles and labradoodles.

Grayson Parsley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Parsley of Englewood. She is passionate about singing, and likes rainbow sorbet for ice cream. She is a great big sister. Her favorite place to vacation is the beach in South Carolina because she loves to swim in the ocean with her dad. If she could have any pet she would have a gerbil because she thinks they are really cool.

Isabelle Ritz, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Ritz of Cherry Hills Village. She attends Colorado Academy and is passionate about fashion. She would rather swim in the summer than ski in the winter, and likes to vacation in France and New York. She loves strawberry ice cream and watching the movie “Free Willy.”

Natalie Grace Robertson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Robertson of Cherry Hills Village. She is passionate about gymnastics because she thinks its fun and challenging to do. Choosing a favorite ice cream flavor is too tough because she loves dark chocolate and cookie dough. If she could go on a vacation anywhere it would be to New York City to see the Statue of Liberty. She also would like a pet Chihuahua because they are very small and cute. She would take it everywhere and even dress it up. She also likes the movie “Soul Surfer.”

Khaki Sawyer, daughter of Drs. Kate and Michael Sawyer of Denver. Her favorite movie is “Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer,” and her favorite book is Judy Moody Girl Detective. If she could vacation anywhere it would be New Orleans so she could go to Mardi Gras. Her favorite ice cream is peach. Someday she hopes to be a veterinarian, dancer or even a detective just like Judy Moody.

Bailey Lynn Shelden, daughter of Kittie Hook and Charles Shelden of Denver. She is passionate about cooking, and someday hopes to be a veterinarian. Her favorite ice cream flavor is mint chocolate chip, and she also likes to vacation at the cottage on Lake Wabessa in Wisconsin. She likes the snow and she likes to sing. Her favorite book is Kylie the Carnival Fairy and her favorite movie is “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.”

Kendall Stevens, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Stevens of Denver. She loves to make other people laugh, which could be a great trait later in her life since she hopes to be a doctor someday. She would love to have a dog to play with, and believes in magic and ghosts. She is a great gymnast and also loves to sing. Her favorite song is Dynamite by Taio Cruz.

Riley Stewart, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Stewart of Greenwood Village. She loves running and art and one day wants to become an artist or art teacher. Her favorite book is Ivy & Bean and she also likes Taylor Swift, especially when she can sing to You Belong with Me. She likes to vacation in Disneyland and has a sweet tooth: she loves chocolate ice cream with chocolate magic-shell.

Claire van Kempen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wouter van Kempen of Cherry Hills Village. She really likes gymnastics, but when she grows up she hopes to be a veterinarian or zoo keeper. She already has a rabbit, a puppy and a fish to start her training. She believes in magic, and likes the movie “Soul Surfer.” She also likes to read the book Good Night Little Bunny.

Twenty adorable second-graders will be presented as Nutcracker Sugarplums this week; first, on Friday night at a black-tie dinner-dance held at the Brown Palace Hotel, and again on Saturday just before the curtain rises for the opening performance of Colorado Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker.”

The ball, chaired by Katrina Benes and Shannon Burke, is for family, friends and members of the sponsoring Colorado Ballet Auxiliary. Saturday night’s performance at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House is open to the public with tickets available at coloradoballet.org.

Cathleen Hancock and Jenifer Vogelpohl are the Sugarplum program chairs; Cami Cooper and Joan Lazzell are co-presidents of the ballet auxiliary, and Dr. Toby Cole is the master of ceremonies for both presentations.

The photo above only tells part of the story:
If Denver’s mayor looks a bit unsteady on his feet while attempting to strike a ballet pose, it’s also the reason why his dance career came to a screeching halt before it began. A plie, much less a pas-de-deux, isn’t his strong suit.
John Hickenlooper stopped by the Colorado Ballet Auxiliary’s annual gala long enough to express his support both for the company and the arts in general. He also confessed that he had taken three years of modern dance in college, and “There are pictures of me in a leotard — which I’m sure will surface at some point during the (gubernatorial) campaign — and it’s not a pretty sight.”
Following Hickenlooper’s remarks, delivered during the silent auction and cocktail reception, guests were ushered into the Westin ballroom for dinner, a dance performance and live auction. Dancing to The Tripping Griswolds rounded out the evening.
Guests included Dan Caplis and his wife, Aimee Sporer Caplis; Frances Owens and daughter Monica, who co-founded the Colorado Ballet Young Professionals; Edie Bell; Don and Mary Lou Kortz; Ruth Silver; Mark and Sally Murray; Susan Stiff; Scott and Natalie Rekstad-Lynn; Vince Abrue; Skip and Jane Netzorg; Christin Crampton Day; Dr. Dean Prina and Bryan Wright; Vince Abrue; Barry and Pam Gatz; Debbi and Bill Tryon; and the chair of the Colorado Ballet board, Denise Sanderson, and her husband, Jim.

Hayden Schwartz, left, Ella Dunkin, Lillian Gaechter, Emery Scott and Lucy Pratt enjoy the magic show that was part of the Sugarplum Ball. Photo by Steve Peterson, Special to The Denver Post

How cool would it be if all 28 second-grade girls who were Nutcracker Sugarplums this year grew up to be professional ballerinas, or patrons of the art?
Still, if all that happens is that they take in a performance 20 years hence with children of their own, members of Colorado Ballet Auxiliary will be happy because they’ve achieved their goal of building future audiences — one person at a time.
The family-oriented Nutcracker Sugarplum program unfolds over the course of a year, and includes mother-daughter, father-daughter and ” ‘Plums only” activities. The girls are introduced to dancers, and have an opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes look at what’s involved in mounting a ballet production.
Former CBS4 news anchor Aimee Sporer Caplis and Stacy McHugh chaired the 2009 Nutcracker Sugarplums, and are responsible for instituting Tutus and Tiaras, a service and outreach component that supports Colorado Ballet’s Dance Renaissance program. Dance Renaissance provides ballet clothes, equipment and teachers to children attending Title I schools that have little to no arts funding.Brenna Cox and Darcy Guttwein, whose daughters were Sugarplums in 2008, agreed to oversee Tutus and Tiaras and led the 2009 Sugarplums as they made friendship bracelets for the children participating in Dance Renaissance, collected ballet clothing and equipment for donation, and made paper flower bouquets to be presented to those dancing in “The Nutcracker.”
“Little things,” Caplis said, “that hopefully instill a sense of giving and gratitude in our Sugarplums.”
The Sugarplum program culminates with a black-tie dinner held at the Brown Palace Hotel the night before Colorado Ballet has its first performance of “The Nutcracker” season. The little girls, and their families, are introduced by Dr. Toby Cole and receive the traditional sprinkling of fairy dust and a souvenir Nutcracker figurine.
The following night, they are introduced on stage at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House immediately before the ballet begins.
The ball was chaired by Ronette Hall and Jill Hibbeln; Carole Buyers handled reservations; Leslie Dewell Smith was in charge of public relations; Dory Pratt headed the dress selection committee, and Liz Arnold was the program’s adviser.Anna Bates, who founded the Sugarplum program, attended the ball, along with such other VIPs as Gil Boggs, Colorado Ballet’s artistic director; board chair Denise Sanderson; principal dancer Chandra Kukendall; and auxiliary co-presidents Kim Reifsnider and Susan McCann with such members of their board as Paige O’Brien, Susan Strauss, Kerry Vickers, Holly Price, Cami Cooper and Beth Murphy.
Board members Anne Hillary and Suzan Schlatter were there, too, along with husbands Jim Hillary and Gary Schlatter. The Hillarys’ daughter, Charlotte, was a Sugarplum this year; the Schlatters’ daughter, Amanda, is a Sugarplum Alum.
The 2009 Sugarplums are listed below, with biographical notes that public relations chair Leslie Dewell Smith gleaned from information supplied by the honorees and/or their parents:

Annabel June Benes

Miss Benes is the daughter of Katrina and Craig Benes of Denver. She’d like to change the world one day by stopping pollution. She plans to be a singer/songwriter, and her favorite song is “Honey, Honey,” by ABBA. She loves chocolate vanilla swirl ice cream, and snacking on Pirate’s Booty. The best present she ever received is her little brother, Wyatt.

Caroline Grace Burke-Dullinger

Miss Burke-Dullinger is the daughter of Shannon and Rodney Burke, Marcy and Kelly Greene and Ron Dullinger, all of Denver. In her future career, she’d like to be an artist. Her favorite snack is graham crackers and milk, and the one food that she always steers clear of is hot dogs. The poems in the book, “Where the Sidewalk Ends,” are her fave, and she thinks the best place to vacation is at the beach. Almost anything can make her giggle!

Paige Karol Cherubini

Miss Cherubini is the daughter of Maggie and Adam Cherubini of Denver. A favorite treat is coffee ice cream, but pleeease don’t pass the spinach at the dinner table! Paige is an animal lover who is crazy about dogs. But, in her book, the most adorable animal of all is the kitty cat. Sunny Florida is her choice for a wonderful, family get-away.

Anderson LaCille Dodge

Miss Dodge is the daughter of Allison and Bruce Dodge of Greenwood Village. Anderson hopes to be a pediatrician one day, where she’ll most likely treat her favorite animals: bunny rabbits and puppies. She loves Judy Moody books, and the song, “Falling Down,” by Salina Gomez. The best present she ever received was four goldfish. As an adult, she’ll change the world by making sure that “nobody gets bossed around.” As you may have guessed, she has an older sibling, a brother.

Ella Catherine Dunkin

Miss Dunkin is the daughter of Karrie and Doug Dunkin of Englewood. When she grows up, she’d like to invent a way to make it rain without a big storm. She loves listening to her favorite song, “Burning’ Up,” by the Jonas Brothers, and her sister really makes her giggle. Cell phones are a favorite, and the best present that she ever received was her LittleKinz stuffed animal, Lilly Lulu.

Jordan Nicole Fisher

Miss Fisher is the daughter of Amy and Scott Fisher of Greenwood Village. She loves to sing and read the “Magic Fairy” series. Her favorite song is, “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know,” by Selina Gomez. When she grows up she wants to be an inventor and own a boutique that sells girls’ clothes and matching outfits for their pets. Her favorite vacation spot is Grandma and Grandpa’s house, where she swims in their pool and drives in the golf cart to get ice cream. The best gifts she ever received were her Heelys and I-pod. But her most prized possession is a skateboard that she bought with her money she’d earned on her own.

Isabelle Rae Ford

Miss Ford is the daughter of Michelle and Michael Ford of Aurora. She’d like to be a dolphin and whale trainer when she grows up, and her favorite place to vacation is Hawaii. She loves rainbow sorbet, but always steers clear of mushrooms and peanut butter. The cutest animal on Earth for her is the koala bear, and she loves the book, “Kylie the Carnival Fairy.” The best gift she ever received is her Nintendo DS.

Anna Fucarino

Miss Fucarino is the daughter of Courtney and Peter Fucarino of Denver. Anna would like to be an artist when she grows up, and her favorite song is “Don’t Stop Believing,” by Journey. She loves vacationing in Mexico, and she considers Chex Mix the “yummiest snack.” Her ice cream of choice is lemon sorbet, and she thinks that the cutest animal on Earth is a puppy.

Lillian Elizabeth Gaechter

Miss Gaechter is the daughter of Carolyn and Phillip Gaechter of Denver. Lilly loves vanilla ice cream, but hates chocolate anything. She’d like to change the world one day by insuring that all cats and dogs get adopted and have loving homes. She enjoys reading the “Ivy and Bean” book series, and her favorite place to vacation is Hawaii. The best present she ever received was her kitten, Daisy, when she had to have her teeth pulled for braces.

Courtney Hancock

Miss Hancock is the daughter of Cathleen and Mark Hancock of Cherry Hills Village, and is the third in her family to be a Nutcracker Sugarplum. She attends Cherry Hills Village Elementary School. Her sister, Melanie, is a Sugarplum Alum.

Charlotte Anne Hillary

Miss Hillary is the daughter of Anne and James Hillary of Cherry Hills Village. She’d like to change the world one day by getting rid of cigarette smoking. She plans to be a doctor, and her favorite animal is the octopus. Jokes really make her giggle, and the best vacation she ever took was to Kukio, Hawaii. Her favorite book is “Miss Patty is Batty,” and the best present she ever received was her American Girl tree house.

Jordyn Anne Jentz

Miss Jentz is the daughter of Martha and Scott Jentz of Greenwood Village, CO. Jordyn has a sweet tooth, and just loves cupcakes and vanilla soft-serve ice cream with cherry dip. When she grows up, she wants to change the world by making sure people always pick up litter and that they recycle. She just loves her new computer, and the best present she ever received was her roller skates. The most wonderful vacation she’s taken was to Alaska, and her favorite book is “The Littlest Angel.”

Emilie Goerig Jones

Miss Jones is the daughter of Kim and Billy Jones of Greenwood Village. Her favorite ice cream is Arnold Palmer-flavored gelato, and she hopes to be a professional skier when she grows up. The best vacation she ever took was to California, and she loves snacking on Cheetos. The thinks the cutest animal on the planet is the red panda, and her favorite books are from “The Puppy Place” series.

Marie Wilkes Jordaan

Miss Jordaan is the daughter of Ashley and Hendrik Jordaan of Cherry Hills Village. She hopes to change the world one day by making sure that all the kids in the world have lots of toys during the holidays. She thinks that the cutest animal is the penguin and her favorite place to vacation is Disneyland. She loves to perform songs for her four siblings in the car. She enjoys the book “Pinkalicious,” and the best gift she ever received was a trampoline.

Alexis Elaine Linafelter

Miss Linafelter is the daughter of Stephanie and Rod Linafelter of Cherry Hills Village. Lexi’s ice cream of choice is peppermint stick, and she thinks that the cutest animal on Earth is the hippopotamus. She loves vacationing in Hawaii, and hopes to be a paleontologist one day. The best present she ever received is her precious pet dog, Lilly.

Taylor Elizabeth Lucero

Miss Lucero is the daughter of Lori Lynn and Shane Lucero of Greenwood Village. Taylor would like to change the world one day by making sure everyone is nice to one another. Her favorite ice cream is vanilla fudge, and she just loves dogs. Her best vacation includes a trip to Palm Desert. When she’s relaxing, she likes to listen to music and read her favorites from the “Biscuit” book series.

Madelynn Jane McDonald

Miss McDonald is the daughter of Nikki Withrow and Matt McDonald of Cherry Hills Village. Maddy Jane loves to giggle with her brother, Sammy, and one day she hopes to be a singer and pianist. She hopes to change the world by showing people how nice the world could be if everyone is kind, respectful and polite to one another. She has a real zest for life and says, “I love everything!” Her favorite book is “The Invention of Hugo Cabret.”

Molly Faye Miller

Miss Miller is the daughter of Kathy and Merlin Miller of Cherry Hills Village. Molly loves strawberry ice cream and cookies, and just hates tuna. When she grows up, she wants to help the world Go Green. One day, she hopes to work as a lifeguard, and her favorite place to vacation is Hawaii. She giggles up a storm when her grandma tickles her, and thinks the cutest animal on Earth is the cockatiel. Her favorite song is “Let’s Make it Rock,” by Hannah Montana, and the best gift she’s ever received is a diamond necklace and ring from her parents.

Vidhya Kapur Pathy

Vidhya is the daughter of Vatsala and Arun Pathy of Denver. As a grown-up, she’d like to plant many new trees. As with most little girls, there’s a soft spot in her heart for “Mommy,” and the best present she’s ever received is her gerbils. She’s a real bookworm and loves every book she’s ever read. Her favorite song is “Our Song,” by Taylor Swift.

Ellen Elizabeth Possehl

Miss Possehl is the daughter of Sarah and Bob Possehl of Cherry Hills Village. Her favorite ice cream is cookie dough, and her favorite snack is popcorn. She giggles like crazy when she’s on the tire swing with her brother and sister, and her favorite place to vacation is at the beach. For her, puppies are the cutest animals on Earth. She loves the breeze on her face when she rides bikes with her dad, and sleepovers & baking cookies are perennial faves.

Alexandra Resnick

Miss Resnick is the daughter of Sara and Eric Resnick of Cherry Hills Village. Allie wants to be the first woman president. Her best vacation ever was a trip to Zermat, Switzerland, with her family, and she loves rockin’ out to her favorite song, “Gitchee, Gitchee, Goo.” Her yummiest flavor of ice cream is cookie dough, and the best present she ever received was a trampoline.

Grace Schmitt

Miss Schmitt is the daughter of Tina and Jeff Schmidt of Cherry Hills Village. Grace has a sweet tooth for cotton candy and smoothies, but when it comes to squash, it’s a big “no thanks!” She wants to change the world one day by continuing to make strides with regards to recycling, and she loves reading “Junie B. Jones” books. Her ultimate favorite song is “Whatcha Say?” For downtime, vacations to Hawaii are always A+ in her book, where she enjoys snorkeling. One day, she’d love to be an actress.

Hayden Pierce Schwartz

Miss Schwartz is the daughter of Dr. Evan Schwartz and the late Tracy C. Schwartz. She hopes to change the world by helping to achieve world peace and happiness for all. As a grown-up, she plans to work as a pediatrician, and her grandmother’s ranch is her favorite get-away. As a chocoholic extraordinaire, her favorite desert is a hot-fudge, chocolate brownie sundae, and it’s her dad that always makes her giggle.

Emery Gabrielle Scott

Miss Scott is the daughter of Michelle and Don Scott of Denver. Her favorite place to vacation is Turks & Caicos. The best present that she can imagine is an iPod touch, and she’s working hard to earn it. She adores her dog, and thinks that he is the cutest animal on Earth. Her favorite books are from the “Harry Potter” series.

Olivia Penn Stafford

Miss Stafford is the daughter of Laura and William Stafford of Littleton. Olivia loves vanilla ice cream, and plans to have a career as an archeologist. Her favorite place to vacation is Captiva Island, and she enjoys nature, snorkeling and swimming. When her sister Grace tickles her, it always makes her giggle. She thinks that the cutest animals on Earth are bears, and she loves jammin’ out to her favorite song, “Battlefield,” by Jordin Sparks.

Eleanor Laurel Sullivan

Miss Sullivan is the daughter of Lynn and Michael Sullivan of Denver. Ellie loves reading anything by Roald Dahl, and when it comes to music, she enjoys the soundtrack from the Broadway hit musical, “Wicked.” She thinks snacking on chocolate chip cookies is the best, but offering her beets or wasabi may not go over well! For her, the cutest animal on Earth is the baby polar bear, and she just loves playing with her friends.

Margaret Vogelpohl

Miss Vogelpohl is the daughter of Jenifer and Bill Vogelpohl of Cherry Hills Village. Her favorite vacation was a grandmother-mother-daughter trip to Chicago to the American Girl Doll store. She loves fly-fishing at her uncle’s ranch in the summers. When she grows up, she’d like to be a veterinarian who travels and saves endangered species from around the world. She thinks the cutest animal in the world is a newborn, black Labrador puppy with its eyes still shut.

Abigail Jean Wilkinson

Miss Wilkinson is the daughter of Jana and Brian Wilkinson of Cherry Hills Village. She plans to have a career as a teacher and a swimmer, and her favorite place to vacation is Florida. She’s a true bookworm, and loves reading the “Rainbow Fairy” series. Chocolate ice cream is a real fave, but she always turns down an offer for yellow bell peppers. The best present she ever received is her Kit Kittredge doll, and her favorite song is “Here Comes the Sun,” by the Beatles.

Greenwood Village’s swank new condominium development, The Landmark, was the setting for a reception at which Girl Scouts of Colorado revealed the identities of the Denver Women of Distinction for 2008.
The women, nominated by their peers and chosen for their professional and personal contributions to the community, will receive additional recognition Oct. 22 when the Women of Distinction Dinner takes place at the Marriott City Center. It will be chaired by Marilyn VanDerbur Atler, a Woman of Distinction in 2000, and her daughter, Jennifer Atler, who was honored in 2003.
Marilyn Atler is a former Miss America who has gone on to become an author and motivational speaker; Jennifer is executive director of Invest in Kids.
The 20 honorees are:
Retired dentist Julika Ambrose; Mary Baca, a community leader and mother of 1998 Woman of Distinction Patricia Baca; Pamela Kenney Basey, an accomplished cook who has been active in Project PAVE and other community organizations; Margaret Brown, president of Colorado Business Bank Northeast; Colleen Colarelli, president and chief executive officer of Girls Incorporated of Metro Denver; retired registered nurse Kay S. Daugherty of the Denver Health and Hospital Authority; Raylene Decatur, chief executive officer of Decatur & Co.; Bonnie Downing, vice president/development for Denver Museum of Nature and Science; andDawn Engle, co-founder and executive director of the PeaceJam Foundation.
Also, Lynn Gangone, dean of the University of Denver Women’s College; Irene Ibarra, president and chief executive officer of the Colorado Trust; Frances Jefferson, regional administrator for Region VIII of the U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau; attorney Barbara Kelley, a partner at Kamlet Shepherd & Reichert; Mary Rhinehart, senior vice president and chief financial officer at Johns Manville; and Lucinda Sanders, chief executive officer and founder of the National Center for Women and Information Technology.
And, Sandra Scanlon, president of Scanlon Szynskie Group, Inc.; Lisa Snider, executive director of the Colorado Ballet; Teresa Taylor, executive vice president and chief administrative officer for Qwest Communications; Lynne Valencia, vice president of community relations for 9News; and Barbara Yondorf, president of Yondorf & Associates.
Being named a Woman of Distinction is “An incredible honor,” Gangone said, and “Girl Scouts is an amazing organization. I credit Girl Scouts for my path to leadership.”
Another honoree, Barbara Kelley, said there is more to the Women of Distinction honor than meets the eye. “There is a real meaning to this. This is an opportunity to get to know (individual) Girl Scouts. I am looking forward to this.”
Since 1997, Girl Scouts has honored 328 women in the Denver area, all of whom share their commitment to the ideals of the Girl Scout program by providing mentoring, career exploration and guidance to Girl Scouts throughout the year.
The Women of Distinction program is a profitable one, having raised more than $2 million for Girl Scouts’ outreach programs. These programs serve thousands of girls who otherwise would not be able to participate in Girl Scouts.
The announcement reception was sponsored by Northern Trust, with members of Brownie Girl Scout Troop 285 of Denver helping to greet guests and distribute flowers to the honorees. In a break with tradition, the reception didn’t include the roasting of Girl Scout s’mores. Instead, guests enjoyed appetizers and desserts from Occasions by Sandy, as well as a Champagne toast to the 2008 Women of Distinction.
For more information on the Women of Distinction program, or to reserve a table for the celebratory dinner, call 303-778-8774.

See pictures from the announcement reception by visiting denverpost.com/seengallery

Denver Post Society Editor Joanne Davidson can be reached at 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com

Sugar and spice and everything nice. That’s what little girls are made of.
One of the Colorado Ballet’s most popular fund-raisers turned Sweet 16 this year, when 25 second grade girls were introduced first at the Sugarplum Ball and then again on opening night of “The Nutcracker.”
The ball, held at the Adam’s Mark, was chaired by Anne Cunningham and Marcia Seale, while Jeannine Hutchison and Kim Reifsnider
coordinated the year-long program that led up to the big night. Read more…

Study after study has shown that when it comes to charitable fundraisers, Denver has more per capita than any comparably sized city in the nation. Joanne Davidson has been covering them for The Denver Post since 1985, coming here from her native California where she'd spent the previous seven years as San Francisco bureau chief for U.S. News & World Report magazine.